Thomas Aquinas Commentary 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have [the gift of] prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing." — 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ASV)

Having discussed the different charismatic graces and ministries that distinguish the members of the Church, the Apostle now addresses charity, which is inseparably connected with sanctifying grace. Because he had promised to show them a more excellent way, he demonstrates how charity outranks the other gifts—that is, the charismatic graces—in three ways. First, he shows its necessity, because without charity the other gifts are not enough. Second, he shows its usefulness, because through charity all evils are avoided and all good is performed (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). Third, he shows its permanence (1 Corinthians 13:8).

The Apostle seems to reduce all the charismatic gifts to three categories. First, he shows that the gift of tongues, which relates to speech, is of no value without charity (1 Corinthians 13:1). Second, he shows that gifts related to knowledge are of no value without charity (1 Corinthians 13:2). Third, he shows the same for gifts related to works (1 Corinthians 13:3).

The Corinthians had a great desire for the gift of tongues, as will be shown in chapter 14. Therefore, beginning with that gift, he says, in effect: I have promised to show you a more excellent way, and this is especially clear regarding the gift of tongues. For, if I speak in the tongues of men, that is, if I had the gift to speak in the languages of all people; and to emphasize the point he adds, and of angels, but have not charity, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. He uses an appropriate comparison. The soul lives through charity, and charity lives through God, who is the life of the soul, as it says in Deuteronomy 30:20: He is your life. For this reason, 1 John 3:14 says: We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love remains in death.

Therefore, he correctly compares speech without charity to the sound of a dead object, namely, a brass gong and a cymbal. Although they produce a clear sound, they are not living but dead. In the same way, the speech of a person without charity, no matter how erudite, is considered dead because it does not merit eternal life. There is a difference between a sounding brass gong and a clanging cymbal: because brass is flat, it produces a simple sound when struck; but a cymbal, being concave, multiplies the sound when struck once, which is what clanging is. Therefore, those who state the truth simply are compared to the brass, while those who expand upon the truth by adding many reasons, analogies, and connections are compared to the cymbal. Without charity, all of this is considered dead.

But we should consider what is meant by "the tongues of angels." Since the tongue is a physical organ, and the gift of tongues pertains to its use (and is sometimes itself called "a tongue," as will be clear in chapter 14), it seems that neither of these would apply to angels, who do not have physical bodies. Therefore, it can be said that by "angels" he means men with the office of angels, that is, those who announce divine things to other people, according to Malachi 2:7: The lips of the priest should guard knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the angel of the Lord of hosts. In this sense, If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels means speaking with the tongues not only of lesser people but even of the greater ones who teach others. It can also be understood to mean incorporeal angels, as it says in Psalm 104:4: Who makes your angels spirits. And although they do not have a physical tongue, by analogy, the power by which they reveal their thoughts to others can be called a tongue.

We should understand that there are some things in the angelic mind that higher angels do not communicate to lower ones, and vice versa. This includes the divine essence, which they all see directly, as God shows Himself to all. As it says in Jeremiah 31:34: And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord.’ For all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

However, there are other things in the angelic mind about which the higher angels speak to the lower, but not the other way around. Such are the mysteries of divine providence. The higher angels know more of these mysteries because they see God more clearly than the lower angels do. Hence, the higher angels instruct and enlighten the lower angels about these things—and this can be called speech.

Finally, there is something in angelic knowledge about which the higher speak to the lower, and vice versa. These are the secrets of the heart, which depend on free will and are known to God alone and to the one who has the secret, as it says above in 1 Corinthians 2:11: For what person knows a man’s thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? These secrets become known to another only when the one who has them reveals them, whether that angel is of a lower or higher rank. This kind of revelation happens when a lower angel speaks to a higher one, not by enlightening but by some form of signification. For in each angel there is something that is naturally known by another angel. Therefore, when that which is naturally known is presented as a sign of that which is unknown, the hidden thing is revealed. Such a revelation is called "speech" by analogy with humans, who reveal the secrets of their hearts to others through audible words or other outwardly apparent physical signs. The power to reveal one's own thoughts in this way is, therefore, called a "tongue" metaphorically.

Next, with the words, and if I have prophecy, he shows the same principle applies to things related to knowledge. We should note that he previously discussed four charismatic graces related to knowledge: wisdom, knowledge, faith, and prophecy. He begins here with prophecy, saying, if I have prophetic powers, through which secrets are divinely revealed, as it says in 2 Peter 1:21: No prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. Secondly, regarding wisdom, he adds: and understand all mysteries, that is, the secrets of the divinity which pertain to wisdom, as it says above in 1 Corinthians 2:7: We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God. Thirdly, regarding knowledge, he says: and all knowledge, whether humanly acquired, as by the philosophers, or divinely infused, as in the apostles: It was he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists .

Fourthly, regarding faith, he adds: and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains. It is possible to explain "all faith" as all the articles of faith, but it is better to explain it as perfect faith, because of the phrase that follows: so as to remove mountains. For it says in Matthew 17:20: If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move hence to yonder place,’ and it will move. And although a grain of mustard seed is very tiny, here it signifies not tiny faith but perfect faith, as in Matthew 21:21: If you have faith and never doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will be done. Faith that does not doubt, therefore, is compared to a grain of mustard seed, which, the more it is crushed, the more its strength is perceived.

Some object that although many saints had perfect faith, no one is recorded to have moved mountains. This is resolved by what is said above in 1 Corinthians 12:7: To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. That is, miracles are performed by the grace of the Holy Spirit at the time, in the place, and in the manner that the needs of the Church require. Many saints have done much greater things than moving mountains when it was useful for the faith: for example, raising the dead, parting the sea, and performing other works of this nature. And they would have moved mountains, if it had been necessary. This can also refer to the expulsion of demons from human bodies, for demons are called "mountains" on account of their pride: Before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains... I am against you, O destroying mountain, which destroys the whole earth (Jeremiah 13:16; Jeremiah 51:25). The performance of miracles is attributed to faith that does not doubt, because such faith rests on God's omnipotence, through which miracles are performed.

If, I say, I had all the above gifts related to the perfection of the intellect, and have not charity, through which the will is perfected, I am nothing in the order of grace. About this order it says in Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Hence Ezekiel 28:19 says against someone: You have come to a dreadful end, and shall be no more forever. This occurs because of a lack of charity; without it, the use of these gifts is not good. As it says above in 1 Corinthians 8:1: Knowledge puffs up, but charity builds up.

It should be noted that the Apostle speaks here about wisdom and knowledge as they pertain to the charismatic gifts, which can exist without charity. For when they are numbered among the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, they are never possessed without charity. Hence, Wisdom 1:4 says: Wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, and Wisdom 10:10: She gave him the knowledge of holy things. As for prophecy and faith, it is clear that they can be possessed without charity. It should be noted here that strong faith, even without charity, can perform miracles. Hence, in Matthew 7:22 some will say: Did we not prophesy in your name... and do many mighty works in your name? The answer given to them is: I never knew you. For the Holy Spirit performs wonders even through the wicked, just as He speaks the truth through them.

Next, when he says, And if I give away all I have, he shows the same principle applies to works. These consist of a person's doing good deeds, as it says in Galatians 6:9, Let us not grow weary in well-doing, and enduring evils patiently, as in Psalm 94:15: For justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it. Among good works, acts of piety receive special commendation, as it says in 1 Timothy 4:8: Piety is of value in every way. In regard to this work, he designates four conditions:

1. The work of piety should not be kept in one lump but divided among many, as it says in Psalm 112:9: He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor. This is what he means when he says, if I give away.
2. The work of piety should be performed to relieve a need, not to serve excess, as it says in Isaiah 58:7: Share your bread with the hungry. This is what he means by giving it as food.
3. The work of piety should be directed to those in need, according to Luke 14:13: When you give a feast, invite the poor. This is what he means by giving to the poor.
4. It pertains to perfection that a person gives all his goods for works of piety, as it says in Matthew 19:21: If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor. This is what he means by giving all that you have.

Among the evils one endures patiently, the greatest is martyrdom. As it says in Matthew 5:10: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He commends this act in four ways:

1. It is more praiseworthy to offer oneself to suffering when the need is imminent, for example, for the defense of the faith, than to be captured and then suffer. Therefore, he says, if I deliver up. This is what is said of Christ in Ephesians 5:2: He gave himself up for us.
2. The loss of one's body is more serious than the loss of possessions. Regarding possessions, some are commended in Hebrews 10:34: You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property. Therefore, he says, my body, as in Isaiah 50:6: I gave my back to the smiters.
3. It is more praiseworthy for one to expose his own body to punishment than the body of his son or another relative. For this, a certain woman is commended in 2 Maccabees 7:21: Though she saw her seven sons perish on a single day, she bore it with great courage. And therefore he says, my body, as in Judges 5:9: My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people.
4. Martyrdom is made praiseworthy by the intensity of the pain, about which he adds: to be burned, like Saint Lawrence, who was like "fire and incense in the censer."

If, I say, I should do all the works mentioned, but I do not have charity—either because the will to sin mortally is present alongside these works, or because they are done for vainglory—I gain nothing. That is, I gain nothing as far as the merit of eternal life is concerned, which is promised only to those who love God. It should be noted that he compares speech without charity to the sound of a non-living object, and says the person himself is "nothing." But works done for the wrong end, if they are without charity, he calls fruitless: Their hope is vain, their labor is unprofitable .